Puresound Tenuto Platter Mat Review

I use a very modified Lenco L75 turntable. So much so, only three components are original Lenco items, the motor, platter and platter mat. Like many good Idler drive it majors on power and dynamics, with a throw it at you “in the room” presentation. Two years ago an after market bearing was added, dropping the noise floor; adding detail, delicacy and air into the proceedings, turning it into a very capable turntable. It’s now at the point (beyond arms and carts) that there’s not much more I can realistically change or add…..so I thought.

Tenuto: (Italian past participle of tenere “to hold”) it can mean either hold the note in question its full length (or longer, with slight rubato), or play the note slightly louder. In other words, the tenuto mark may alter either the dynamic or the duration of a note.

The mat has a slight concave profile, the outer edge is 1mm higher than the center, there’s also a shallow label recess. The profile helps ensure the record is supported across it’s surface, especially when used with a weight. The base of the mat is unlacquered, creating a good earth reducing static buildup.

Here you can see the outer edge profile. As well as fitting Technics platters, it also makes it dead easy to pick up, which is nice.

Clearly a lot of thought, care and attention has gone into the design.

What does the Tenuto mat bring to the party?

I’ve tried a few mats on my turntable, this is the only one to make a worthwhile, positive difference over the standard Lenco rubber mat. Simply put, music is more focused and detailed, with improved transient attack. By comparison, the standard rubber mat sounds sloppy, it seems to slur and blur detail. Quite surprising, I certainly hadn’t identified a blurring of detail as a particular weak point.

With the Tenuto in place of the rubber mat, the soft, background snare drums in Melody Gardot’s One and Only Thrill are easier to follow and her vocals are projected with greater clarity. The car pulling away at the start of Kraftwerk’s Minimum Maximum version of Autobahn is brutally realistic, the exhaust now punches its way out of the speakers with extra bite, as the music starts the additional focus and attack demand attention.

In case you’re wondering, the positive effects of the mat are not genera specific, regardless of material an improvement was heard.

Conclusion

If you own a well sorted Garrard, Thorens, Lenco or any other high torque / high mass turntable (e.g an SP10) and you’re looking to eek out more performance, this mat stands a very good chance of providing your next upgrade fix. I’m genuinely impressed and pleased with the effect it’s had. It leaves just 2 original Lenco items on my turntable.